Berlin Parks — Palace Gardens And Knut, The Polar Bear

Berlin takes great pride in being a green city. There are well over 2,000 parks and 400,000 trees to provide rest and recreation for its citizens and guests.

Zoo Berlin

A trip through Berlin’s nature highlights begins with a day at the zoo. This historical zoo is the oldest in Germany. Zoo Berlin is also the record-holder for largest number of species in a single zoo. Impressive architecture — as well as nature — abounds here.

The Elephant Gate evokes Asian art, while the Bison House with its totem poles may remind you of a North American cabin. The Hippopotamus House is a relatively new highlight, offering views of sunbathing and submerged hippos. But the true star here is undoubtedly Knut the Polar Bear. His birth in 2006 attracted worldwide attention as the first of his kind to be born in Zoo Berlin in over 30 years.

Berlin Tiergarten

The Tiergarten is a large green park located in the center of Berlin. Today it is an oasis of calm in a busy European capital, but also is home to some important historical monuments. The Victory Column was erected following the Danish-Prussian war. (It was more recently the site of a major speech by US presidential candidate Barack Obama in July 2008 that drew a crowd of over 200,000!) There’s also a monument to Otto von Bismarck and a Soviet War Memorial.

Schlosspark Charlottenburg

This baroque garden is another highlight of Berlin’s nature scene. The well-manicured park with interesting geometric patterns and a large lake let you imagine what life as a Prussian King must have been like.

Botanical Garden

With over 100 acres of land and 22,000 species of plant, this Berlin park is widely regarded as one of the world’s most important. Located in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough, the Botanical Garden is home to the world’s largest glass house, in which you’ll find a re-creation of tropical ecosystems.

Viktoriapark

If you’re looking for some of Berlin’s best nature views, be sure to take a trip to the Viktoriapark in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. You’ll not only be treated to some overlooks of the city and the Spree River, but also a lovely artificial waterfall.